Study: A Glass of Red Wine May Be Equivalent to an Hour at the Gym

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For those of you who like to extol the virtues of wine-drinking or enjoying decompressing after a hard day’s work with a nightly glass of cabernet, there is good news. Recent studies have shown that this wine may be even healthier for you than you realized! Read on to find out more about the unsuspected benefits of imbibing red wine.

What You Already Knew….

Okay, if you follow websites or blogs that deal with natural health, you probably already know something about the health benefits of red wine. One of the most important things is that it is really great for your heart. Tannins in the red wine – also found in red grapes or purple grape juice – seriously contribute to cardiac health. These tannins and other natural components in red wine have been scientifically proven to lower the unhealthy LDL cholesterol levels, while at the same time given a boost to HDL levels. This is important, because higher HDL levels and a good overall cholesterol ratio are associated with a reduced chance of developing cardiac disease or even having a stroke.

The antioxidants in red wine also help to reduce oxidative damage to the heart cells as well as to tissues throughout the human body and can lower the chances of not just heart attack or stroke, but also of other serious conditions like cancer. Sadly, however, these benefits only apply to red wines and not to white, so it is best to put that Chablis away for another time.
…and What You Probably Didn’t Know at All!

Recent research, coming out of the University of Canada in Alberta, however, has recently uncovered evidence that that nightly glass of merlot may be even healthier than you realized.

These health benefits stem from a component of red wine called resveratrol. This compound is also found in a handful of other foods – including some nuts and also red grapes – and its impact on the body is nothing short of astounding. Apparently, it give the cardiovascular system, as well as your bones and muscles, just as much of a boost as if you had gone to the gym and had an hour’s workout. The scientists who began this study plan to continue looking at its potential impacts on good health and intend to study what regular use of it can mean to those struggling with diabetes.

This study, however, should not be taken as a green light to down half a bottle of pinot noir before tucking into your dinner! The results studied here actually come from studying participants who had a single glass of wine daily. And – bad news for you fans of chardonnay – these benefits still only apply to imbibers of red wines. Nutritionally and health-wise, white wines simply do not measure up.

So, when you get home from work and want to shake off the stress of the day, reach for a glass of red wine to help you decompress.

Sources:
http://elitedaily.com/news/world/glass-wine-equivalent-going-gym/770635/
http://www.bustle.com/articles/41340-drinking-a-glass-of-red-wine-is-the-same-as-getting-an-hour-of-exercise-says

Meghan Telpner
Meghan has written many articles about health subjects as a journalist and as a freelance writer. As a reporter, she often covered hospital and clinic events/news and wrote news and features about health topics relevant to people in the community.